God Listens to and Accepts Prayers — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 3
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding God Listens to and Accepts Prayers.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: III – Concept of the Acceptance of Prayer in Islam
Pages: Book pp. 93–95 (PDF pp. 111–113)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Prayer is a Spiritual Means to Success] | Next: [The Prayers of the Disbelievers] »
Historical Account
After this fundamental discussion, we present a few Qur’ānic verses and Aḥādīth relating to the concept of prayer, so that it may be ascertained as to what Islām teaches in this regard. Therefore, Allāh the Exalted states in the
Holy Qur’ān:
َوَ قَالَ رَ بُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي اَسْ تَ جِبْ لَكُمْ اِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْ تَ كْبِرُونَ عَ نْ عِبَادَ تِي سَ يَدْ خُلُون
َجَهَنَّمَ دَ اخِرِين
“Your Lord instructs you that (when you are in need or require something), ‘Pray unto Me’ and I shall listen to your prayer and accept it. As for those however, who are too proud to worship Me (and whose necks cannot bow down before me to call upon me), shall soon enter the chastisement of the fire, disgraced.”
[Al-Mu’min (40:61)]Then He states:
وَ اِذَ ا سَ اَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَ نِّي فَاِن ِّي قَرِيبٌ اُجِيبُ دَ عْ وَ ةَ الدَّاعِ اِذَ ا دَ عَ انِ فَلْيَسْ تَ جِيبُوا لِي
َوَ لْيُؤْ مِنُوا بِي لَعَ لَّهُمْ يَرْ شُدُ ون
“O Messenger! When My servants ask thee about Me, tell them I am near (to all of them). I hear the call of the supplicant when he prays to Me. So they should hearken to me and truly believe in me, so that they may see prosperity (in their prayers).”
([Al-Baqarah (2:187)])Then He states:
َدْعُوا رَ بَّكُمْ تَضَ رُّعًا وَ خُفْيَةً اِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْ تَ دِينَ وَ لَا تُفْسِدُ وا ف ِي الْاَرْ ضِ بَعْ دُا
َاِصْ لَ احِهَا وَ ادْعُوهُ خَوْ فًا وَ طَ مَ عًا اِنَّ رَ حْمَ تَ اهللِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِين
“O Ye People! Call upon your Lord in every condition, whether you are imploring in a state of anxiety and restlessness, or silently in composure and steadfastness. Know well that God does not like those who transgress; And create not disorder in the earth after Allāh has setup means for its reformation; And call upon him in every state, in fear and in hope. In other words, whether
you desire to gain salvation from an affliction, or desire beneficence, continue praying in any case. Verily, the mercy of God is nigh unto those who do good.”
[Al-A‘rāf (7:56-57)]Furthermore, the Holy Prophetsa states in a Ḥadīth:
ِاِنَّ اللّٰهَ حَیِیٌّ كَرِیْمٌ یَسْ تَحْیِیْ اِذَا رَفَعَ الرَّجُلُ اِلَیْهِ یَدَیْهِ اَنْ یَّرُدَّھُمَا صِفْراً خَائِبَتَيْن
“O Ye Muslims! Verily your Lord is a shy and forgiving master. When someone spreads his hands to pray before Him, He feels embarrassed to send him back empty handed.”
[Sunanut-Tirmidhī, Kitābud-Da‘awāt, Bāb 104 & 118, Ḥadīth No 3556]O Allāh! How magnificent is this ravishment!
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3)
Section: III – Concept of the Acceptance of Prayer in Islam | Navigation: « Previous: [Prayer is a Spiritual Means to Success] | Next: [The Prayers of the Disbelievers] »